Medical examiner identifies 80-year-old woman found dead after fire; 6 family members escaped

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee County medical examiner on Thursday, April 16 identified an 80-year-old woman found dead after a fire on Easter Sunday near 21st Street and Edgerton Avenue as Maria Vasquez. Six of her family members escaped the fire, which happened around 4 a.m., and is believed to have been electrical in nature.

The medical examiner's report said Vasquez lived with her daughter, her son-in-law and her four grandchildren.

On the morning of the fire, the report said Vasquez's son-in-law received a call from his daughter, indicating there was fire on the main level of the home. The son-in-law was unable to ascend the stairs from the basement, so he went outside and around back, to find the back door locked. He broke a window to gain entry, and began removing the children from the home, with help from his wife. Sadly, the report said Vasquez "was in line to leave," but never made it out. The fire was too intense.

Vasquez's body was found near a living room window on the main level of the home, which was severely damaged due to the fire.

The medical examiner's report said Vasquez's daughter suffered smoke inhalation and was hospitalized after the fire.

The report said the fire was possibly electrical in nature. Investigators found circuit breakers on the electrical box tripped, and it's believed the fire originated near an electrical outlet. According to the medical examiner, there was nothing suspicious in nature.



A GoFundMe account has been established for the family. You can learn more by CLICKING HERE.